Fruit press



March 18, 1952 R s MlLLER I 2,589,724

FRUIT PRESS Filed Feb. 1, 19'49 Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT orEicE FRUIT PRESS Raymond S. Miller, Hollywood, Calif.

Application February 1, 1949, Serial No. 73,928 1 claim. (ci. ico- 45.)

This invention relates to an improved fruit press particularly for extracting juice from cit'- rus fruit.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved fruit juice extractor press having improved lever actuation of the press head, whereby the press head has a straight line, high power closing motion for pressing the fruit, and a rapidly opening motion.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fruit juice extractor press of this kind having a maximum of pressing force with a minimum of lever movement and operating elfort.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an actuating linkage for the movable head of a fruit press whereby the head engages with the fruit in a coplanar and substantially linear movement for extracting the juice and moves upwardly to an inclined position wherein the pressed fruit is exposed for removal.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement. combination and the details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and-then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a fruit press constructed according to an embodiment of my in vention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation partly broken away, and partly in section,

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal fragmentary detailed section taken on the'line 3-3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure .2,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the fruit supporting conical member removed from the assembly, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary transverse vertical detailed section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings the numeral I designates generally the illustrated fruit press which comprises a hollow housing or base |I and a rockable press head I2. The base I| is formed of a substantially vertical cylindrical body having a forwardly concaved forward wall I4. The upper end of the cylindrical base |I is provided with a top wall l rearwardly of the forward wall |4, I

the top wall I5 being formed with a forward opening I6 and a rearward opening for purposes described hereinafter. The forward edge of the top wall I5 is provided with a hook I8 hav- .ing v'a'downwardly directed bill portion I9. The

concave forward wall I4 of the housing is formed with an opening 2U at the upper end thereof forwardly of and below the hook I8.

A circular funnel-shaped member 2| Ais supported on the upper edge of the forward wall |4 forwardly of the hook I8. The funnel 2| is provided with an upwardly directed hook 22 on the rear edge thereof having an upwardly directed bill 24 for engagement behind the downwardly directed bill |9 of the hook I8 carried by the upper wall of the housing I I. With the hook 22 engaged with the hook I8 the bottom surface of the funnel 2| rests upon the upper edge of the forward concave wall I4 whereby the funnel 2| is supported thereon.

The funnel 2| has a bottom wall 25, which is formed in the manner of a downwardly converging cone having an opening 2G at the center and apex thereof.` A cylindrical side wall 21 is formedy on the outer edge of the bottom Wall 25 and extends upwardly therefrom. The side wall 21 is` provided with a reinforcing rib as 28 immediately above the hook 22 formed as an outward extension of the bottom wall 25.

A fruit supporting cone 29 is supported within the funnel 2|. The cone 29 is hollow and seats removably on the bottom wall 25 of the funnel 2|. The peripheral or outer edges of the cone 29 are disposed closely adjacent to the cylindrical wall 21 of the funnel 2l. A lug 3l is `formed integrally with a. portion of the lower edge of the conical member 29 and is arranged to engage in a recess 32 formed in the funnel 2| in the forward side of the hook 22. The engagement lof the lug 3| in the recess 32 secures the cone 29 removably in place in the funnel 2| against accidental displacement.

The conical fruit supporting member 29 Vis lformed with a spiral groove 34 in its upper surface, which winds downwardly from the top of the cone to the larger lower end thereof. A plurality of holes 35 are formed through the conical member 29 and extend downwardly from points along the groove 34. The groove 34 and the holes 35 are provided for draining juices from the fruit Apressed on the conical member 29. A plurality of radially inwardly extending supporting ears 36 are formed integrally with the bottom wall 25 of the funnel 2|. The ears 36 are arranged to engage the lower edge of the conical member 29 and support the member 29 in upwardly spaced relation to the bottom wall 25. The spacing of the lower edge of the conical member 29 above the surface of the bottom wall 25 provides for the free drainage of juices from the groove 34 downwardly through the opening 26 in the bottom wall 25 of the funnel 2|.

The press head I2 comprises a generally circular portion 39 which is formed with a downwardly opening concave recess 31 whose side wall has a rabbeted lower edge 38. An inverted concave cup member 39 is carried by the head portion 39 for engagement over the conical member 29 within the side wall 21 for pressing a piece of fruit thereon to extract the juice therefrom. An upwardly extending cylindrical side wall 49 is formed on the lower end of the cup member 39. The upper edge of the cylindrical wall 48 of the cup member 39 is frictionally engaged in the rabbeted edge 38 of the head portion 39 for-securing the cup 39 thereon.

The press head I2 further comprises a hollow lower arm 4| formedr integrally with the head portion 39, to which the actuating linkage is attached. The lower arm 4| is formed with a top wall 42 integral with the portion 39 and extending rearwardly therefrom. Side walls 44 extend downwardly from the top wall 42 providing a .downwardly opening lever arm.

.Front and rear downwardly extending links 45 and 46, respectively, are pivotally connected at their upper ends to the lever arm 4I and extend downwardly through the front and rear openings I6 and I1 respectively in the top wall vI of the housing or base I The upper end of the forward link 45 is pivotally connected to the lever arm 4I by a pivot pin 41 engaging through the side walls 44. A pivot pin 48, extending through the side walls 44, at the rear end of the lever arm 4|, pivotally connects the upper end of the rear link 46 to the lever arm 4|, rearwardly of the forward link 45.

A transverse longitudinal shaft 49 extends between and is journaled to the side walls of the housing Il, and a hand lever 59 is fixed on one end of the shaft 49, by a pin 5| engaging through the hub 52 of the lever 59 and the end of the shaft 49 extending outwardly at one side f the housing |I. A lever, as 54, is xedly secured on the shaft 49 between the side walls of the base I The lever 54 includes a hub portion 55 rlxedly secured on the shaft 49 having a pair of laterally spaced triangular plates 56 formed integral with the hub portion 55 and extending forwardly from the shaft 49 in the normal lowered position of the press head I2. The lower end of the rear link 46 is positioned between and pivotally conlnected to the plates 56 of the lever 54, by Ya pivot pin 51. With the actuating lever 59 in its substantially horizontal forwardly directed position the pivot pin 51 will be disposed above a horizontal plane through the shaft 49. A pin 58 pivotally connects the lower end of the forward link 45 to the lever 54 below the pivot pin 51, substantially below the horizontal plane described above. In the horizontal position of the actuating lever 59 the pivot pin 58 will be disposed vertically below the pivot pin 51. To provide clearance between the actuating links 45 and 46, the lower end of the link 45 is bent downwardly and rearwardly so vthat the links will be free Yfrom each other in all positions of the cap actuating Vlever 54. In the use and operation of this fruit press I9 the lower jaw member 2| is initially engaged in t'.h esui`rvporting member II, by engaging Vthe bill -24 of the hook 22 vbehind thebill I9 of the hook I8v fixed on the supporting member II. The lower surface of the lower jaw member 2| or funnel will 'be supported on the 'upper edge `of the forwardly 4 extending walls I4. The conical member 29 may then be engaged in the jaw member 2| by engaging the tab 3| into the recess 32. For separating the jaw members 2| and 39 the actuating handle or lever 59 is moved rearwardly to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. In this position of the shaft 49, fixed on the lever 59, the pivot pin 51 for the rear link 46 will be moved to a position rearwardly of the axis of the shaft 49. The pivot pin 58 will then be disposed vertically above the shaft 49 in the dotted line position shown in Figure 2. With the fruit to be pressed engaged on the conical member 29 in the lower jaw member 2 I, the lever 59 may be then moved forwardly for extracting the juice from the fruit. Forward movement of the lever 59 will actuate the lever 54 for moving the pivot pin 58 of the forward link 45 downwardly in a substantially vertical line to the full line position shown in Figure 2. The pivot pin 51 connecting the rear link 46 to the pivot 54 will be moved in a forward position to the full line position shown in Figure 2. As the forward link 45 is moved in a substantially vertical line, the forward pivot pin 41 will be moved in the same direction, so that the arm 4I will be substantially pivoted about the pivot pin 48, which connects the upper end of the rear link 46 between the lever 4I and the lever 54. As the pivot pin 51 moves in a substantially horizontal line, there will be very little vertical movement of the rear end of the lever 4 I, and the rear pivot pin 48. As the movement of the forward link 45 is substantially all in a vertical line, the pivot pin 41 and the forward end of the lever 4| will be moved in a substantially vertical line, thereby pivoting the cap I2 about the rearmost pivot pin 48. In this manner a fruit supported on the lower jaw member 2| will be pressed by engagement of the upper jaw member 39. It will be noted that when the pin 51 has been moved to its forwardmost position, as noted in full lines in Figure 2 of the drawings, the movement of the head I2, and upper jaw member 39,will be substantially downwardly, in a `horizontal plane. This horizontal plane will be substantially the same plane asl the lower jaw member 2|, and the fruit supported on the fruit engaging member 29. Y f

The movement of the upper jaw member, and cap I2, may be described, starting from the full line position shown in Figure 2, as moving upwardly in a substantially horizontal plane for a short distance until the pivot pin 58 is moved forwardly of the position of the pivot pin 51; At this time the planar movement of the cap I2 Vupwardly is changed to a swinging movement about the pin 48.` At this time the pin 51 has substantially finished its vertical movement and is starting its horizontal movement, and all movementl'of the pin 58 is vertical. As the pin 58, and link 45 move upwardly, the forward end of the upper jaw member 39 will be moved upwardly about the rear pivot pin 48..v The forward movement of the handle or lever. 59Vresults in exactly the reverse movement Ydescribed above, that is the upper jaw member 39 is pivoted initially about the pivot pinV 48 until the cap I2 has reached a substantially horizontal position,whereupon further movement of the lever 59 downwardly results in the movement of the upper jaw member 39 vdownwardly in a horizontal plane, for engagement with the lower clamping jaw member 2|.

VI'do not mean to' confine myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claim.

What I claim is: I In a fruit press, a base, a vertical funnel mounted on and projecting laterally outwardly from the base, said funnel having a bottom Wall, a perforated fruit supporting cone supportably resting upon said funnel, a press head comprising a circular portion having a cup member on its under side for engagement over said cone to press fruit on said cone with the press head in its depressed horizontal position, said press head further comprising a lever arm on said circular portion projecting over the topA of said base, a rst vertical link pivoted at its upper end to said lever arm and depending therefrom, a second vertical link pivoted at its upper end to said lever arm at a point at the side of said iirst link remote from said circular portion of the press head, said second link depending from said lever arm, a horizontal shaft extending transversely across the base and journaled thereon, lever means fixed on said shaft, said rst and second links being pivoted at their lower ends to said lever means at points circumferentially spaced with respect to said shaft, and a hand lever Xed on said shaft for rotating said shaft inone direction to swing said press head upwardly away from its depressed position and in the opposite direction to swing said press head downwardly from its elevated position to its depressed position.

RYMOND s. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 140,451 Shaftel Feb. 27, 1945 172,505 Sammis Jan. 18, 1876 413,725 Levy Oct. 29, 1889 703,517 Baumgarten July 1, 1902 1,752,272 Kandel Mar. 25, 1930 1,791,821 Locke Feb. 10, 1931 1,958,570 Flegel May 15, 1934 2,018,932 Thorne Oct. 29, 1935 

